I kissed her, I couldn’t help it.
Our kiss shook the air in the room, as tiny little pieces of ice formed around my fingertips, encircling our fingers, linking our hands together. Her body moved beneath mine as her lips danced across my mouth.
I’d never taken my pleasure with another immortal.
Only with humans, who later died in agony at the loss of being near me. Several of them simply gave up.
The last one, a hundred years ago, had jumped off a bridge.
It was the last time I’d allowed my own carnal pleasures to destroy an innocent life.
Until Genesis, until I figured it was my duty to try to mate with a human to bring about the end of the curse.
Only to realize within days of knowing her—that she was never mine to have. Never would be.
And that, even a woman as beautiful as Genesis—could never fill the gaping hole Stephanie’s absence had made in my life.
“Make love to me.” Stephanie’s body twisted underneath mine for dominance as she pushed against my chest then pinned me to the bed.
Chuckling, I drew the shape of a heart across her chest, my fingers etching an icy trail as they danced across her fair skin.
Stephanie’s breath hitched as her eyes flashed white.
“Like that?” I asked.
She nodded. “But that’s not what I meant.”
“So you don’t want me drawing hearts all over your delicious body until you beg me to stop?”
She hesitated.
I laughed.
“I’ve never seen you laugh this much.” Her smile was bright.
I sobered, kissing her again, tasting her. “I’ve never had reason until now.”
With great care I lifted her into my arms, wrapping her legs around me as I kissed down her neck.
She gasped when my tongue slid between her breasts moving downward until the angle forced me to stop.
“This is…” She shook her head as the light above us shattered into a million tiny pieces blanketing us in darkness—our eyes glowed at one another. “Too much all at once.”
“I wish I could tell you what to expect. But I’ve never been mated before,” I answered, my body craving more of her kisses, more of her touch, just… more of everything.
“You’re stuck with me now.” She laughed against my mouth. “Basically married.”
I nodded, then swirled my finger against her ring finger as a beautiful crystal diamond appeared wrapping itself in icy tendrils all the way up to her fingertip. “I shopped for hours.”
Stephanie examined the ring. “Yes I can see that, great detail on the diamond and the rose petals around it.”
“Eyes closed the whole time,” I whispered.
“Keep them open.” She cupped my face. “I missed you.”
I frowned. “I’ve been here the whole time.”
“You’ve been missing half of your true self,” she answered. “And now… you’re whole.”
“Because of you.”
“Because of my selfishness.”
“That too, though it sounds less romantic that way, more needy.”
She pinched me in the shoulder but it didn’t hurt.
“Now that we’ve gotten all the technicalities out of the way.” I motioned to her ring. “I’m going to make love to you.”
“Okay.” Her eyes brightened.
“And then…” I brushed a kiss across her lips. “I’m going to do it again.”
Without giving her a chance to respond I molded my mouth to hers, my hands sliding down every inch of her body as if it was made for my touch, my every caress.
I never thought.
Never imagined I’d be allowed the privilege.
Of loving another woman.
Of mating with an equal.
My hands shook as they rested against her hips. Had my face not been frozen from emotion, I imagined tears would have found their place on my cheeks, proof of the undeniable love I felt for her—and gratefulness I had for the situation.
Stephanie rocked her hips against me as she tangled her hands in my hair. Each kiss was met with desperation, returned with aggression, and repeated. Our bodies slid against one another as I took my time exploring every part of her I dared not touch before our mating.
Mouth watering with the need to taste, I pressed her back onto the bed and began my wicked descent from her chin, down to her feet, stopping at each and every space in between, making my mark permanent as I bit and covered her skin with my mouth.
Stephanie’s moans only encouraged me further.
The sound of ice breaking didn’t even deter me from licking my way back up her body, careful to make sure I didn’t miss any important spot or angle at which I could give her pleasure.
Her thoughts were my own as she screamed. “There.” Only it was in her head, not aloud.
“Better?” I’d ask only to have her nod her encouragement.
I was able to pleasure her before she even asked.
With an eager lift, I had her on her stomach, realizing I had only pleasured her front, only made love to parts of her and left the other parts pressed against the damned mattress.
“Cassius what are you doing?”